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heres the number i used: 1-800-433-3243. but seriously it's pure luck getting through. my daughter just used her school's financial aid office computer lab and that worked way better
UPDATE: Success! I took several of your suggestions and finally got through. I used Edge browser at 5:30am this morning and was able to log in with no issues. Everything we had entered previously was still there. Then I called my daughter's school financial aid office and they confirmed they've extended their priority deadline by 2 weeks because of all the FAFSA technical problems. For anyone else struggling with this - try the early morning hours with Edge browser, and definitely contact your school's financial aid office directly! Thank you all for your help!
Great news! Glad to hear you got it working. The SAI calculation should be processed within 3-5 days now that you've submitted everything.
congrats!! i'm still stuck on the verification part but at least our application is submitted
does anyone know if adding more schools will change my SAI?? i'm worried that making ANY corrections might mess up my current number which is pretty low
Adding schools won't affect your SAI calculation. Your Student Aid Index is based solely on your financial information and family circumstances, not which schools you select. You can add up to 20 schools total, and it won't impact your aid eligibility at all.
anyone else notice how the dependency verification questions changed this year? my son is definitely independent (he's 24 and files his own taxes) but the system kept rejecting his status. had to answer the special circumstances questions to get it to accept his status.
This is a really important point. The 2025-2026 FAFSA made subtle changes to dependency questions. Even being 24 doesn't automatically qualify as independent anymore - they look at the tax filing status from the previous year too. The special circumstances section is much more important now for borderline cases.
UPDATE: We finally got through it!!! Combination of things worked: 1. Used Chrome in incognito mode 2. Entered all tax info manually (no IRS tool) 3. Fixed our mortgage amount (current balance) 4. Logged in at 5:30am when the site was faster And we got our official SAI calculation! So much relief. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions. For anyone else struggling - don't give up, and try early morning hours when the site seems to work better.
That's fantastic! Glad to hear you got it working. The 5:30am timing is definitely a pro tip for others. When you have a moment, what was your daughter's SAI compared to what you expected? Many people are finding the new formula quite different from the old EFC calculation.
Quick note on timing: The 2025-2026 FAFSA should be available on October 1, 2024. However, after last year's delayed rollout and technical issues, I recommend checking the studentaid.gov website regularly for any announcements about the release date. Set a calendar reminder to complete it as soon as it's available, as some schools award institutional aid on a first-come, first-served basis.
That's a really good point - I forgot about all the delays with this year's FAFSA rollout. I'll definitely set a reminder and keep checking the website. Thanks!
Another important detail: Make sure you list the same schools on your 2025-2026 FAFSA that you'll be attending. Even if you're already enrolled when you complete it, you still need to include your school's code on the new application. Each FAFSA is treated as a separate application, and schools only receive the data for the specific aid years where you've listed them.
omg i messed this up last year and almost lost my financial aid! definitely make sure you list ALL the schools you might attend even if your already enrolled somewhere
Hassan Khoury
THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!! My daughter is in her 3rd year of medical school, TWENTY-THREE YEARS OLD, hasn't lived at home in 5 years, files her own taxes, pays all her own bills, yet STILL has to put our information on her FAFSA because she's not 24!!! She lost out on so much aid because of our income even though we can barely help her at all with the astronomical cost of medical school. And don't even get me started on the CSS Profile some schools require - it's even MORE invasive than FAFSA! The system is designed to prevent students from getting aid, not help them.
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Victoria Stark
•While the frustration is understandable, I want to clarify that the system isn't designed to prevent aid - it's just operating on outdated assumptions about family financial responsibility. The 24-year age threshold was established decades ago when fewer students were financially independent before that age. For medical students specifically, there are targeted loan forgiveness programs like Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) and state-specific programs for practicing in underserved areas. These can be more valuable in the long run than the need-based aid she might have qualified for as an independent student.
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Grace Durand
Thank you everyone for the helpful information! We've decided to: 1. Complete the FAFSA with our information as required 2. Request a professional judgment review with detailed documentation of her situation 3. Research nursing-specific scholarships and loans 4. Look into hospital tuition reimbursement programs in her area It's frustrating that the FAFSA rules don't account for these intensive healthcare programs where students truly are living independently year-round, but at least we have some options to explore. I'll update if we have any success with the professional judgment review!
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Steven Adams
•Great plan! One more tip: when submitting the professional judgment request, focus on any unusual financial circumstances your family might have rather than just the independent living situation. Financial aid offices have more flexibility to adjust for things like medical expenses, job loss, or supporting multiple college students simultaneously than they do for changing dependency status.
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